Until recently, Stewart Lee was still flogging his own DVDs in the foyer after
his shows, but a couple of BBC2 series of Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle and a pair of 2011 British Comedy Awards have taken him on to the next level, a state of affairs that doesn’t sit entirely comfortably with this most contrary of standups.
On Carpet Remnant World ★★★★★, Lee brilliantly plays off this awkward dichotomy, dividing his audience into those who ‘get’ his multi-layered deconstructionism and those who are only there because they’ve seen him on the telly, explaining to them: ‘I’m so good at stand-up, I make it look as if I can’t do it.’
The show’s thrust is that Lee is devoid of material, since he spends his days either driving up and down motorways to gigs or watching Scooby Doo with his young son. So he’s taken to cruising London’s North Circular in the vain hope that something funny will happen, thereby neatly mocking the observational style of comedy favoured by so many successful stand-ups.
Only Lee could get away with writing a show about not having a show, but he pulls all the threads together with such understated aplomb that you can’t help but marvel at his utterly distinct approach. Really, it’s ridiculously good.
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter